And now, my thoughts on the matter.

For the past eleven years, the wedding industry has been my home. I've laughed with you, shed a few tears with you, both froze and sweat my butt off with you, and partied into the night with you on your special day. I've seen and learned things about the flow of a wedding day (I never thought I'd learn how to bustle a wedding dress, make boutonnières, or how invaluable a crochet hook is when securing buttons), how much time and preparation you all put in, and how much work it takes from everyone to make your day perfect.

For those of you that got to meet my wife during the first eight years of this adventure, you know how amazing she is. We got to see friends, clients, and fellow vendors alike at wedding shows, vendor meet-ups, and wedding days. For the time that Amy was with me, we created some very special memories with you all, and we've been fortunate enough to continue seeing some of you, whether it be at Amy's hospital delivering your baby, accidentally and coincidentally vacationing together in Mexico, seeing each other by chance and Disneyland, or out in the wild at restaurants and the front row at concerts.

After Amy's departure from weddings to give her full attention to her hospital job, you all got to meet my assistant Jena, whom we dubbed "The New Amy" for a while (Jena did that, not me). She's been my Number Two, my confidante, and my trusted friend. You've seen how hard she works when it's go-time, and you've seen her do The Worm on the dance floor when it's time to wind down and let the party happen.

Many of you also got to meet Nicole, my prima, my cousin. While we didn't work together as much, the times we spent together at weddings with some of you were pretty amazing. She got to witness how great you are, and I'm thankful for that.

Vendors, I didn't forget about you.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention my fellow vendors and friends. Any client who has worked with me knows that I'm very outspoken and will remind them that their day is made perfect by not only preparation, but by assembling and choosing a team of great vendors to work with. These folks are worth their weight in gold, and they're the ones who have saved the day in more ways than one, or stepping up to go above and beyond in making a couple's day perfect.

Your DJ sets the tone for the party by reading the room and knowing what songs and activities gets butts out of the seats. Your florist sets the color palette and, if they're skilled, knows how to prepare the bouquets and boutonnières so they last all day (my favorite florist knows this is a nod to them because this is what they do). A great planner or venue coordinator makes sure things happen when they should. A great officiant handles a ceremony with levity and humor while effortlessly carrying the weight of what your day means. A great photographer or videographer makes sure you stay in the moment while they blend seamlessly into the background (for most of the day) so it doesn't feel like there's a camera on you all the time.

I could go on. Seriously. I could really go on about how important a good vendor is.

I've had the opportunity to work with some amazing vendors, from wedding show coordinators, venue coordinators, venues, florists, officiants, videographers, fellow photographers, caterers...

And the list goes on.

To every vendor in the great state of New Mexico, it's been my honor to have had the opportunity to know you. We've had our great times at weddings, we trauma bonded during a global pandemic when we couldn't work, and a few of us have tipped many pints together over the years.

Doff o' the cap. High fives. Fist bumps. I love you guys, and I hope the new vendors I meet in Colorado are just as amazing.

So this is where I leave you.